The End Of A Difficult Week

As you know, at the beginning of this week I was nervous about how this week would go. It was difficult and very busy but I did make it through. I also mentioned that it was easier to comment on a tragedy when it was not close to home. I guess why it's easy to comment about today's news events.

A gunman opened fire at an immigration services center in downtown Binghamton on Friday, killing 13 others before taking his own life, in what's being described as a "classic spree killing," according to CBS News correspondent Bob Orr.

Authorities say the rampage began when the gunman barricaded the rear door of the American Civic Association building with his car before entering through the front door, firing his weapon, the official said.

Orr said a senior law enforcement official told him after entering the front of the building, the gunman shot the receptionist in head and killed two others at front desk.

Officials said the receptionist had played dead after being shot, and heroically called police, before she apparently later passed away

The official said the gunman, who was also carrying a bag with two guns -- a 9 mm with an extended clip, and a .45 mm, never took any hostages. He was also carrying a bag that had survival gear, extra ammunition and a hunting knife.

The dead gunman was carrying identification with the name Jiverly Voong, age 42, from upstate New York, reports CBS News correspondent Bob Orr. He apparently acted alone although investigators are still questioning a number of people who were inside. The motive is not known.

I've heard that the motive might be that he lost his job. This whole economic reality is difficult for so many people right now. You see unemployment zoomed to 8.5 percent last month, the highest in a quarter-century, as employers axed 663,000 more workers and pushed the nation's jobless ranks past 13 million. The hard times were only expected to get harder -- a painful 10 percent jobless rate before long.

So many people are affected by our economic situation. I can name five different teachers who are in the same situation I'm in, that is they are the primary breadwinner in the house. Everyone knows someone who has lost their job. I was talking to someone yesterday and her grown son and his wife had lost their jobs. At least Darryl is getting unemployment.

People are worried and frightened and this fear can drive people to do things they never would do under normal circumstances. I'm not saying that all this killing is right or justified. It is not. Not under any circumstances is it OK. I'm just saying that the incidents of depression are on the rise, as is alcoholism and drug use. When this happens the incidents of spousal abuse and child abuse go up.

God I hope things get better soon.

Here are the blog contests I entered:

Prize: South Beach Diet swag bag.

Prize: Exergen TemporalScanner thermometer.

Prize: Epson Stylus NX400 All-in-One printer (ARV $99).

Prize: 8GB Picture Keeper.

Prizes (6): Coppertone NutraShield.

Prize: Box filled with over $50 worth of candy.

Prize: $25 Bangerang Bake Shop gift certificate.

Prizes (5): Box of Finish Quantum and bottle of Jet-Dry Turbo Dry.